The Orphan of Northrend
by the-zombie-cat
Summary: Juliet Bouligerde was faced with hardships at a young age. Her town lain in ruins, her family slaughtered, she seeks refuge in Northrend, becoming a part of the feared Scourge and embracing her new lifestyle.
1. A Home Destroyed

The day was hot and humid, with a shining sun that remained unblocked by clouds at high noon in the crisp blue sky. The small blood elven town was alive with residents chatting, working, and simply enjoying the day. In a field behind one of the simple, cozy homes, two young girls ran barefoot. The elder, by what appeared to be two years, ran quickly away from her younger sister in a game of tag. The twelve year old was tall, for her age, with tanned skin and shoulder length raven hair, pulled back from her face in a loose ponytail. The younger sibling was a bit shorter, with a lighter complexion, and pale blonde hair that fell down her back in curls. She scowled as her older sister easily outran her, taunting and giggling all the way.

"Come on, Tanya! This isn't fair!" The younger called, stopping in her tracks and folding her arms across her chest in defiance.

"It isn't my fault you're a slowpoke, Juliet!" Tanya chuckled, turning to face her sister with a rather victorious smile. Juliet looked unamused. "Fine." Tanya sighed, squinting towards the sky and shading her brow with her hand. "It must nearly be lunch time, anyhow." She said. "I'll race you inside!" She shouted suddenly, bolting across the field.

"You got a head start!" Juliet whined, following after. As they reached mid-field, however, a loud explosion caused them both to halt, exchanging worried glances. Instinctively, both dashed for their home, greeted by their mother's arms in a tight hug.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Their mother sighed in relief.

"What's going on?" Tanya demanded.

"We're under attack, my dear.. The humans, from across the valley." Their mother briefly explained as she ushered them towards a low cabinet in the kitchen. "You two need to hide in here. Do not come out until I return to get you, myself." With that, she hurried her daughters inside and closed the door.

It wasn't uncommon for their small town to be attacked by all manner of Alliance forces. For the most part, however, it was the humans. They wanted the town eliminated, so they could claim the pristine location and fertile soil for their own use. However, though their town was small, it had a plethora of strong forces. Lead by Tanya and Juliet's noble father, Wolfe Bouligarde, the town's inhabitants were thoroughly trained and ready for any attacks.

The sounds from outside painted a different picture, though. The battle sounded fierce, this time. It was less of a strategic plan to run the elves off, like it usually was, and it sounded more like a massacre. The clashing blades, explosions, and screams of pain, fear, and despair were certainly getting to Tanya. She flinched and whimpered, every so often. Juliet had simply slowed her breathing to a near halt, waiting.

"Where's dad?" Tanya whispered in a shaking voice, on the verge of tears.

"I don't know." Juliet breathed, barely loud enough to hear.

"And mum.. Our brothers.." Tanya continues, sniffling. "Why couldn't they come hide with us?" Juliet didn't answer, this time. Tanya was clearly too distraught to think clearly. There was no way their father or their older brothers would simply hide, instead of defending the town. Even Juliet, herself, had the itching urge to run out and help. "Juliet, do you think-"

"Shush." Juliet hissed. It was becoming too hard to hear what was happening, over her sister's worry.

"Juliet! How can you be so-"

"Shush, Tanya!" Juliet ordered, giving her sister a stern glance.

Tanya looked ready to protest, but thought otherwise as they heard the front door creak open. Then, two male voices wafted through the house in a language neither elf could understand, but still knew to be the human language called 'common'. They listened intently as the men continued through the house, sweeping the rooms for others and, most likely, pillaging valuables. They seemed content that the house was unoccupied, after a quick walk through, and the sister's heard them leave, again.

"How did you know they would come in?" Tanya asked in a hushed whisper.

"I didn't." Juliet answered. Her tone suggested that they should stay silent, just in case.

Honestly, she had known. Her father had spoken to her enough about endured battles and strategies that she could have guessed. When an attack is being won, in a slaughter mission, it's common protocol for houses to be searched. Though, Juliet didn't want to explain this to her sister, and risk making more noise. After a while of sitting immobile and cramped in the dusty cupboard, a strange, yet familiar smell rose into the air.

"Tanya, they've set the house on fire! We have to get out of here!"

"But mother said to-" Tanya began.

"Well, I'm sure there's an exception if we're about to be burned alive!" Juliet hissed, cautiously pushing open the door to their hiding place. After assuring there were no lingering humans inside the house, she quickly rushed out of the cupboard and tugged Tanya after her. The two quickly fled from the house as visible flames swept across the floors, counters, and walls.

As they escaped the burning, smoke filled house, they were stopped by the sight of sheer destruction before them. The foul stench of burning flesh and wood, mixed with the tang of blood invaded their nostrils, instantly turning their stomachs. Houses and shops were aflame, as well as a few piles of corpses scattered about. More bodies lay unceremoniously strewn across the ground with arrows protruding from them or sword slashes through their torso's. Some were even completely dismembered, laying hacked to pieces and littered through the village. Dark crimson pools of blood lay here and there, steaming slightly as the hot sun bore down on them. It seemed as though the entire town had either fled or been killed in the battle, and the humans were taking their time and great pleasure in tearing apart buildings and spitting on the dead.

Tanya, snapping back to reality enough to realize they hadn't noticed the two sisters, snatched Juliet's hand and pulled her along as she ran. They made it across the town before shouts rang out from behind them. Only seconds later a sharp pain tore it's way through Juliet's chest and she stumbled, falling to the ground. She rose a hand to the area the pain originated from, and felt the tip of an arrow protruding from her shoulder. Her widened green orbs looked up to see Tanya had stopped a few feet away, looking to Juliet in terror.

The shouts got closer, and Tanya gave a glance behind Juliet before hurrying off into the woods, leaving her sister to panic in her wake. The humans finally reached Juliet and she inhaled a sharp breath of pain as the arrow was roughly torn from her. One of the men stopped beside her as the other continued after Tanya. If they were concerning themselves with the two young girls, clearly the attack was meant as an extermination. The man beside Juliet snickered as he wiped her blood from the arrow and set it back into his quiver. He spoke to Juliet in common, giving a satisfied smirk to the suffering girl as he drew a rather menacing short-sword.

It was then that the sky quickly began to darken. The sun was blotted out by dark, heavy clouds that had not been present, before. As they did, it seemed to grow colder, and a dull, stormy shade fell over the area. The man's eyes widened slightly as he looked around. Then, he called out to his companion, who had gone after Tanya. He sounded frantic. The man's face suddenly twisted in pain, then went blank as he fell forward, landing next to Juliet on the ground. She watched as the life quickly faded from his eyes, and a feeling of hope washed over her. Perhaps not all of her race was dead, after all. Determined to assist them, Juliet heaved herself to her feet with a cry of pain. She snatched the man's fallen sword, dragging it in the dirt path behind her as she staggered back into town.

The situation quickly began to feel sour to her once hopeful view. She looked around to see soldiers attacking the humans, but she hadn't seen anything like them, before. They were dressed in dark, menacing armor, wielding runed weapons pulsing with power. The sight of them sent instant chills of instinctive warning down her spine, and her grip on the sword tightened as she continued through the town, seemingly unnoticed.

It was then that the blood curdling reality struck her, seeing beings other than these dark soldiers. Ghouls, abominations, gargoyles.. Rotting flesh hanging from stained bones, but yet still mobile creatures. Assortments of flesh stitched together and stuffed roughly in a less defined manner. Sharp claws, pointed, jagged teeth, glazed over, dead eyes.. Guts hanging open with rotted organs visible and oozing in a stomach turning manner. The hooks the giant constructs wielded tore easily through the humans' bodies and gargoyles of mobile stone lashed at their faces while ghouls tore through flesh in a frenzy of teeth and claws. All the while, the dark soldiers continued cutting through the humans, raising the fallen as more mindless ghouls and increasing their numbers by the second.

The bile rose in Juliet's throat and she chocked slightly, but refused to let herself be sick. This was a scourge assault. The unknown, dark soldiers were the feared death knights. She couldn't let herself be noticed, or she would be killed on sight. Death knights were monsters, yearning for bloodshed, chaos, and destruction. They fed off others pain and would never hesitate to cut her in two, if only for the satisfaction of taking another life. She had to flee.

Her train of though shifted dramatically, however, when her fallen friends, neighbors, and family members began to rise as ghouls. A rage like she'd never felt before rose in her chest and she tore after one of the death knights about to raise a particular corpse. Her brother. She swung the blade madly, and it clashed loudly with the knight's chest piece. Of course, she didn't have enough strength to pierce his thick plate armor, but she certainly caught his attention. He turned quickly, ready to fight. He faltered, however, as his icy gaze fell to rest on the small, wounded elf. His roaring laughter echoed through the mouth of his helm, and it only made Juliet's blood boil more. She swung again and again, tears stinging the rims of her eyes as she realized she was getting nowhere. She wasn't strong enough. The more her sword failed to pierce his armor, the more the death knight laughed.

Finally, another knight approached the two in curiosity. He didn't find as much amusement from the situation as the first knight. After only a moment of assessing the occurrence, he swiftly brought his axe down, aiming for Juliet. She quickly changed her focus, dodging the axe just barely. As she'd moved out of the way, she flipped her sword vertical and aimed as quickly and as carefully as she possibly could. As the knight had come forward, pulled after the weight of his heavy weapon, she'd been able to slip the sharp blade through the gap between his chest piece and helm, sinking it deep into the knight's skull. As she did so, she remembered advice she'd gotten from her father. That anyone, no matter how outmatched or inexperienced, can defeat even the strongest opponent, with enough strategy and determination. Juliet's quick thinking, and the use of the death knight's own actions, against him, were a clear proof to that fact. The act was enough to fell the knight, and Juliet quickly retracted her sword.

This event, alone, was enough to cease the other knight's laughter. Instead, he snarled as he brought out a sword of his own. His weapon clashed with hers as she quickly lifted it in front of her to block. The force of his swing knocked her to the ground and, though it hurt badly, she wasted no time to wince before jumping to her feet and taking a fierce swing of her own. The knight easily dodged, and she stumbled forward from the weight of her weapon. She heard the rush of air as he swung at her back, and rolled out of the way. She couldn't help but wince, then, as dirt clung to her wound. She turned, aiming carefully and taking a quick, precise hit to the hilt of his weapon. This successfully knocked the sword from his hand, and he gave a grunt in annoyance before unsheathing a second sword from his hip. She leapt sideways as he swung at her, but sh wasn't quick enough to fully dodge, and received a rather harsh gash on her arm. Her vision faltered a bit from the pain and blood loss, but was able to take a successful swing back. She managed to put enough force into it to cut through a thinner area of his helm, enough to slice his cheek a bit. He snarled in anger, raising his sword to take a final fatal blow. A cold, firm voice rose in the air, however, that stopped him in his tracks.

"Leave her." It commanded. A feeling of coldness and fear ran through her as she heard the voice. Yet another knight she would have to fight. She quickly turned, sword raised and ready. Though, the sight before her made her falter, and the sword fell from her grasp to crash to the ground beside her. She made no move to retrieve it. Through her fight, many knights had stopped to watch and, in the center of them, was a man she had heard of all to often in her father's tales. He was tall and adorned in black armor covered in skull designs. A large sword rested at his side, glowing runes down it's center that smoked with an icy blue color. All focus from the group of them was on her.

In that moment, she was unaware of anything other than the sheer terror that froze her bones in place. She didn't stand a chance against the Lich King. As the long forgotten knight she'd been fighting pushed past her, he allowed himself to bump into her side hard, causing her to collapse to all fours on the ground in a sharp wince.

"Enough." The King spoke again, a harsh overtone to his voice in an authoritative manner. Juliet willed herself to look up to see the King approaching her, and her eyes widened. He came to a stop before her, holding out a hand. Juliet's eyes dropped to it and, after a short pause, she shakily took it. He lifted her to her feet and handed her a vial of red liquid. "Drink that." He demanded.

With a glance past him to the knights watching, she uncorked the vial and drank. The liquid had a bitter taste, and it immediately warmed her insides. Then, she felt her wounds begin to heal, her flesh melding back together rather swiftly, and a sense of confusion overtook her. She had been certain that the potion would hurt her, even kill her. Why was he helping her? With a look back up to him, she handed back the empty bottle.

"Thank you." She offered cautiously, and he took a moment to look her over.

"Kalzor." He turned to the death knight she'd fought. The troll had taken off his helm to feel the cut on his cheek. He looked up quickly upon being called, his eyes darting between Juliet and the King. "Fight her, now."

The troll laughed, dawning his helm and starting towards her. Juliet panicked, quickly stooping to pick up her fallen sword and hold it towards Kalzor. In a flash, he had unsheathed both his swords and was coming at her in a frenzy. Juliet dodged and blocked with a skill she shouldn't possess at such a young age. And she wouldn't have, if not for her father's relentless training. She used her size as her greatest advantage. She was small, and quick on her feet. She wasn't weighed down by heavy armor, and her vision wasn't blocked by a helm. She sustained a few nicks and scratches, here and there, but was able to dodge the majority of the attacks.

She did her best to bide her time, remaining agile and nimble as she tried to devise a plan and wear the knight out. She threw in a few of her own swings, here and there, when the opportunity arose, but he was far too experienced a fighter to allow them to hit him. Her idea to tire the knight was starting to work. Through chasing the quick elf around, and having her dodge his swings, as they wore out his energy, he was becoming slower, and less accurate. This was when she seized the chance to swing her blade at his swords. Using all her might, she was able to knock them both from his grasp and, in the same swift motion, pointed her sword at the knight's throat.

"This is ridiculous!" Kalzor snarled.

"Where did you learn to fight, blood elf?" The King asked, moving forward and lowering Juliet's sword with his own.

"My.. My father was teaching me." Juliet said quietly, giving a glance to the fallen corpse of her father, a ways across the village. The King followed her gaze, then looked around the ruined town.

"There is nothing left for you, here." He spoke, gaining Juliet's attention. "Join us."


	2. The Decision

The young elf hadn't made it back to Northrend conscious. Between her injuries, blood loss, and the pure stress of the situation she'd found herself in, it was surprising she hadn't blacked out much sooner. But, she had agreed to go with the knights. Return with them to the Citadel. For whatever reasoning she had, herself. Perhaps she had agreed because she knew Arthas was right. She truly didn't have anything left. Though, most likely, she'd agreed out of fear, or even shock. There was a good chance she hadn't even fully registered what it was that she was agreeing to.

She'd been placed in her own room, upon her arrival to the Citadel. Awaiting further action, other than being inspected by the resident forsaken priest, until the time she would awake. The priest had given his best attempt to identify her true calling, after assuring any injury she'd gotten wasn't a threat to her life. He'd said she had a great deal of light in her. He'd given a guess that she was meant to be either a paladin or a priest, but couldn't pinpoint which. Either way, it could prove complications in the plans Arthas had for her. However, she was a project. He'd known that from the start. It was up to the elf to prove whether or not the effort would be worth it, or if she would just become a burden and a waste of time.

Juliet's unconscious mind raced with memories and images from the attack on her village. She tossed and turned in her sleep, restless with fear and despair. The sights of bodies littering the streets. Corpses of those she'd known all her life. Of those she'd known all her life. Of those she loved. The humans treating the dead with disrespect, the homes being set ablaze.. She could still smell the sun roasted bodies and burning wood. Her mind continued sorting through the memories, shifting to the panic of fleeing with Tanya. Both scattering together across the village and running for their lives. Then, the humans giving chase, and the arrow shooting through Juliet's shoulder. It was remembering the pain that woke her in a cold sweat, gasping for air.

Immediately upon waking, she pulled her covers tightly around herself, shivering. How had it gotten so cold? She had a moment of comfort, however. She'd woken in bed. Safe. It had all been some horrific nightmare. Probably brought on by the increasing attacks on her town. Her mind had clearly run through a worst case scenario, in her sleep. She sighed, stretching a bit. The bed she was laying in was much larger than her own. Had she crawled into her parent's bed, in the night? She sat up, curious. The chill got even worse once the covers fell from her.

It was so dark, in the room, that she couldn't clearly make it out. However, a small shroud of light washed over a piece of the room through a large window. As her eyes moved to the area, her heart rate quickened. This was not her home. She moved from the large bed slowly, barely able to stand as her bare feet hit the ice cold floor. Though, she willed herself to continue, stopping before the window.

Her eyes widened and her heart raced in panic as she took in the sight. A vast, heavily clouded night sky, filled with animated skeletal dragons and mobile stone gargoyles. The dark, looming mountain range that lead into an ice and snow covered plain, far below the high window she stood at. Dark, twisted walkways stretched across the field, demented looking creatures roaming here and there on patrol, looking like the manifestation of nightmare monsters. Juliet stepped back from the window, holding her breath. No, she certainly wasn't in her sunny, cozy and humble home. She moved to the door of her room quickly, as though it was all an illusion. As though the door would open into something familiar to her.

It didn't. In fact, it would have been better for her to have remained in the safety of the room she'd woken up in. The halls were extravagant and embellished, lined with wall fixtures illuminating with blue runic flames. The creatures, there, were much closer than the one's she'd glimpsed, outside on the walkways. The ghouls and geists that roamed the halls certainly took notice of her, as she'd stepped out of the room. They let out eager, hungry growls, and started after her down the hall.

Juliet had no option but to run the other way. She did so with a panicked shriek, running as fast as her legs would carry her. The room she eventually emerged into didn't offer any more comfort, and even less safety. Death knights. A rather vast amount of them. Though, the hungered and hostile creatures chasing at her heels wouldn't let her stop running. So, she continued her way through the room. Her legs were sore, her breathing ragged, and her heart felt as though it was pounding so hard that it might just burst through her ribcage. She jumped past a few knights that either made grabs for her, or simply turned to watch the commotion. She circled her was around the room, scrambling around in fear as she frantically searched for a way out. She spotted another hallway, and desperately darted for it, checking back over her shoulder to see the ghouls were, in fact, still giving chase. Foaming at the mouth and running on all fours to catch up with her.

Juliet let out a loud, piercing and terrified scream when she was lifted from the ground, and flailed around in freight to be released. As she did, she caught sight of what, exactly, held her dangling in the air. It only made her panic more. It was a large, towering skeleton, floating a bit off the ground and dressed in tattered and flowing armor. A blue, mist-like glow emanated from within it's bones, and rather regal looking wear adorned it's head and shoulders. This creature appeared to be what her father had described as a lich. It didn't release her, only tightened it's boney hand around the back of her neck, giving the appearance of someone holding the scruff of a kitten. The ghouls, however, looked like dogs. They'd stopped around the lich, eagerly and impatiently sitting to watch her as though begging for table scraps.

"Well.." The lich spoke, looking Juliet over with an air of disgust. He moved his free hand to her chin to roughly lift her face to look at him. "It seems we have a foolish little fleshling in our midst.." He scoffed at her struggling, tightening his hand on her law rather threateningly. "Settle down." He ordered. "Lest I feed you to the ghouls." He added, releasing her chin and holding her above the drooling ghouls for emphasis. As he did so, they riled, grabbing at her feet and causing her to twist, scream, and kick at their claws while the lich chuckled darkly.

"Kel'Thuzad." Juliet recognized his voice, and it brought back the recollection of the scourge's invasion on the village. She remembered watching them dispose of the attacking humans, raising the dead.. She remembered fighting the death knights, and meeting the Lich King. She immediately looked to him, a part of her deciding that her luck with the skeletal being and pack of ghouls might be better. "Stop that."

As Juliet's gaze fell to rest on him, she couldn't help but be a bit stunned. He wasn't the same as when she'd first seen him. The heavy plate armor was absent and he was, in fact, dressed rather casually. What surprised her more than this was the fact that he looked much more normal, than what she'd originally imagined would be under his helm. Being the king of the undead, and the ruthless, soulless leader she'd heard he was, she'd expected something much more menacing, frightening, and nightmarish. However, other than his slightly grayed and pale skin tone, and dark circles under his eyes, it wouldn't even be noticeable that he was among the undead.

"This belongs to you?" The lich, Kel'Thuzad, as he'd been called, asked as he held Juliet up a bit.

"Yes. Now put her down." Arthas ordered. Kel'Thuzad hesitated, giving a glance to the young elf he held before ungraciously dropping her from the height he'd been holding her. She fell to the floor with a thud and a wince, straight into the center of the group of ghouls. A few lurched for her, and she hurriedly scrambled to her feet and gave an attempt to run.

"May I ask why it's necessary to harbor a fleshling in the Citadel?" Kel'Thuzad asked, ignoring the fray and seeming a bit perturbed.

"I've got plans for her." Arthas announced, snatching Juliet's arm as she scurried away from the ghouls, forcing her to stop and stand beside him. The ghouls begrudgingly halted, looking between their king and their meal. "And she's not to be harmed." He added pointedly, directed at Kel'Thuzad's behavior. Juliet looked up to him, at the comment. They weren't going to hurt her?

"Very well." Kel'Thuzad agreed with clear reluctance. "As long as the child doesn't become a nuisance to me, I should be able to resist the urge." He muttered, giving a glance to Juliet. "I don't suppose there will be any further explanation to these plans you claim to have?" He tried.

"In due time." Arthas said, and the lich gave a stiff nod in defeat, continuing on his way. "Come with me." He instructed to Juliet without so much as a glance to her, then started for the hallway.

Juliet, giving a wary glance to the still eager ghouls, followed after quickly. He lead her for a ways without a word, then ushered her into a room to the side. Juliet looked around with a bit of awe. The room was rather large, with tables, looms, and various rolls of cloth that cluttered up more than half of it. Clearly, it was the room of a working tailor. Juliet hadn't even seen said tailor until she stepped forward from the mess, and Arthas gestured Juliet over.

"She'll need something appropriate for the cold." He instructed to the tailor, who gave a nod. This prompted Juliet to glance down to her torn and blood stained dress in question.

"Come along, so I can get your measurements." The woman said, resting a hand on Juliet's shoulder and leading her more towards the center of the room. As the tailor moved to retrieve her supplies, Juliet gave a curious look to the King, who had stayed near the doorway, leaning back against the wall.

"Why did you bring me here?" She finally asked, gathering her courage .

"You showed potential." He answered shortly. The tailor returned, quickly getting to work measuring measuring Juliet's limbs and waist. "You do remember what happened back in your home town, yes?" He added the question, gaining Juliet's attention, again. She gave a small nod. "And you remember killing one of my knights?" She was more hesitant to nod, this time. He didn't seem angered by the occurrence he spoke of, however. In fact, he seemed a bit intrigued. "How old are you?"

"Ten." She announced. "Eleven.. In a few months." She added.

"Your name?"

"Juliet Bouligarde."

"Bouligarde." He repeated, raising a brow. "You've had family in the Crusade, correct?"

"My father, aunt, and two brothers." She nodded. "You.. Knew them?" She asked carefully.

"It becomes relevant to learn the names of those hunting you." He said. The tailor moved, taking the notes of Juliet's measurements to a table and gathering cloth. "You said your father was the one to train you." Arthas continued. "How long had he been doing so?"

"Since I was old enough to stand." Juliet said. "We used to train with wooden weaponry, and graduated to true blades as I earned enough strength to wield them." She explained.

"What was he training you to become?"

"I'm not sure." She answered with a small shrug. "He never said. We only focused on weapon combat and sword skills." He gave a slight nod. If she didn't know she was a light wielder, it would make it that much easier to convince her to join the scourge. "You said you brought me here because I've got potential.. What does that mean?"

"A ten year old girl was able to kill one of my knights, and defeat another in a duel. All while being wounded and terrified." He said. "If you're capable of this, now, then it means you've got the potential to become a great fighter. With proper training and dedication, that is."

"So I was brought here to be trained? To become a part of the scourge?" He nodded, and she hesitated. "So.. To be a proper death knight, I'll have to be killed, won't I?"

"Technically, yes." He said. "But such a thing will be put off, until necessary." Juliet struggled. The thought of an inevitable death wasn't settling.

"When will it become necessary?" She tried.

"Not for many years. When you're raised as a death knight, your physical body will remain the same as the day you died. This means you won't age or grow." He explained. "So it wouldn't be done until you're an adult, and are at your physical peak. That way, there will be nothing left to wait for or improve upon." She still looked concerned. "If I had to put a number on it, I would say it would be sometime in your twenties." It felt better to have a definitive number. So, by this logic, she would still have ten years or so of life, before her undeath. She seemed to be entertaining the idea, so Arthas continued. "During that time you will receive your training, here, from a few of my more experienced knights. Which means the training you receive, here, would be better than anywhere else you could go. This is an opportunity for you to make the best of yourself."

"And, I'll be living here?" He nodded. "What if the ghouls try to kill me, again?"

"Everyone will have direct orders not to harm you." She gave a nod.

"If I stay.." She began, still somewhat wary. "What will be expected of me?"

"You'll be expected to do as you're told, in any circumstance. Everyone here will henceforth be your superiors, and you will respect them as such. Should conflict arise, among them, I will always have the final word. You will be expected to train whenever you are told, and to give your best every time. Since you will not be joining the ranks, straight away, it may also be asked of you to aid the servants and cooks. You will do so, if required, without argument. You eat and sleep when you are told, and you will not set foot outside the Citadel, unless otherwise informed." He said. "You will also pledge yourself entirely to the scourge, upon joining us. Once you are one of us, we own you. Your eternity, both in life and undeath, revolves around the scourge. You are to keep everything you hear and learn to yourself. Should you ever leak information to the outside forces of Azeroth, you will be killed without hesitation." She gave a nod. This made it sound quite foreboding, but it still made perfect sense.

"And, if I don't join.. Will I be killed?"She asked. She still wasn't sure if she was truly being given a choice.

"You will be returned to Azeroth, but it will be up to you to fend for yourself or get to a city, once there." He announced. "Your decision will need to be made, immediately. I will not be giving you any opportunity to learn more about us, if you don't intend to stay." The tailor finally finished, returning to Juliet and handing her the newly fashioned pants and shirt. Juliet looked to them, then back to the King. He looked expectant.

"I'll stay." She said.

"This is not a decision you'll be able to change in a year. Or, even, in a few hours." He said. "Your choice to stay will be permanent, and the only way you will be allowed to leave, is through death."

"I understand." She nodded.

"Very well." He said, moving away from the wall. "Once she's finished changing, send her to the armory." He said to the tailor, then moved through the door without another word.


End file.
